Somebody's Everything
by CathyD
Summary: SPD Tired of being everyone's best friend, sister, or confidant, and questioning if she'll ever find love, Sydney finds what she's looking for right under her nose. SS


_Somebody's Everything  
_by  
falconcranelove

Disclaimer: Not mine. I wish they were, but it wasn't meant to be.  
Rating: K  
Dedication: To Pink-Green-White-4ever for inspiring me and encouraging me to write this. And for getting me addicted to them to begin with. Love ya hun! hugs

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Sitting on one of the couches in the Common Room, Sky turned the page of his book. It was Saturday night, and most of the other Cadets were out for the evening. Z and Bridge had gone to see Jack and Ally; the two couples planned on having dinner and catching up with each other. Syd had gone on yet another "date" with an old friend of hers. And he was left alone, just him and his book.

While there had been Cadets coming and going all evening, no one had bothered the Red Ranger, and he had enjoyed reading his new book. Syd had gotten him the newest crime novel to hit the bestseller list, and he hadn't had a chance to start it yet. Most people thought he only read the SPD Handbook, but those closest to him (namely Syd and Bridge) knew of his love of crime and mystery novels.

Of course, thinking of Syd brought a smile to his face, as it always did. He wouldn't admit it to anyone (though he suspected Bridge knew), but he had come to care a great deal for his pink counterpart this past year. They had known each other for a few years now, but it wasn't until this past year that they had gotten so close. He would definitely call her his best friend, along with Bridge of course. And though he secretly wanted more, he was completely happy just being her best friend too. He would take whatever he could get, just to keep the pretty Pink Ranger in his life.

Turning yet another page, Sky heard the sound of the doors sliding open and looked up to see who was coming in. Smiling at the sight of Syd's blonde head, Sky sat his book down beside him. "Hey Syd. Have a-" the Red Ranger suddenly stopped when she lifted her head, and he got a good look at his team mate. Now that he could really see her, he could see the distressed look in her eyes. He could faintly make out tear tracks on her pretty face, and that was all the Red Ranger needed to see.

He was up out of his seat in a flash, and across the room in two steps, enveloping the Pink Ranger in his arms. "Syd?"

Upon hearing her name, spoken in such a tender way, the Pink Ranger tried to bite back the sob that wanted to erupt, and was almost successful. Grabbing the front of his SPD shirt with both hands, she buried her face into his chest and let it out. She felt him tighten his grip on her, and relished being held in his strong arms. It made her feel better than she had felt for the last three hours. She continued to cry for a few moments more, until she noticed that Sky was cradling her head to his chest with one hand, while rubbing her back in slow soothing circles with the other. It had the calming affect he was aiming for, and she calmed almost immediately.

Sniffing, the Pink Ranger pulled back slightly and wiped her eyes. "Sorry. I made a mess of your shirt."

Looking down, the Red Ranger noticed the wet spots on he front of the shirt. He looked back up at his team mate, with a frown. "It'll dry. Wanna talk about it?"

Shaking her head, she wiped her eyes again, "No, it's silly. I'm alright."

"Syd, you're not alright, and if something's got you this upset, it could never be silly." Taking her hand, he lead her back over to the couch he'd just moments before been sitting on. He moved his book, tossing it on the table, and the pair sat down. He turned to the side so he could better see her face. "Now, what's wrong? How can I help?"

"Really, it's okay Sky, there's nothing you can do anyway. It's something I have to work through on my own."

Sky hated that she wouldn't open up to him. They usually talked about anything, so this was unusual. Not wanting to push her though, he did the only thing he could think of. He settled back into the couch, and pulled her gently to him and just held her close.

Syd was relieved when he didn't push for more, and was thrilled when he pulled her to him. Settling in, she tucked her feet up onto the couch, and cuddled as close to him as she could. Sky was her best friend, other than Bridge, and they had set like this several times, so this was very comforting to her. She felt herself relaxing, and after what seemed like forever she sighed, deciding to just come out with it.

Feeling the sigh come from her, he knew that she was about to say something. He smiled, glad that she had chosen to confide in him after all.

"Sky?"

"Yeah?"

"Am I repulsive? I mean, is there something wrong with me? Something that is going to cause me to be alone for the rest of my life? Am I such a spoiled Princess that no one will ever want me?" her voice sounded so small when she finished.

It was hard to reconcile that voice to the strong woman he knew he cradled in his arms. He was dumbfounded, and didn't know what to say at first. "Syd… I don't know where this is coming from, but NO. Absolutely not. What happened tonight?"

"Well, I thought that Jay had asked me out tonight for a date. As in a 'I like you, let's go out' kind of way. But, it turns out that's not what he had intended." She shook her head, thinking of her foolishness tonight. "We went out to dinner, and was having a good time. It was really good to spend time with him again. We hadn't gotten to see much of each other the last two years, and I hadn't realized how much I'd missed him. We laughed, and joked and talked about what we'd both been doing the last couple of years.

"After dinner, we went for a walk, and things were going great. He'd put his arm around my shoulders and told me that he'd really missed me. That he'd missed having such a good friend around; someone who listened to him as well as I did. Then he started talking about another girl." Syd paused for a moment to gather her thoughts, and her composer. The more she'd talked, the closer she got to crying again. "He told me that he'd like for me to meet her; that as one of his dearest friends, he wanted my opinion of her." She laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Can you believe it? What kind of an idiot am I? Here I thought this was a romantic date, and all along it was just two old friends catching up. I'm pathetic."

Sky didn't like the way she was talking. It hurt him to hear the hurt in her voice. He rubbed her arm in a soothing manner, while he gathered his thoughts. "Syd, you are far from pathetic. You are a beautiful, loving, _wonderful_ woman, who I'm proud to call my best friend."

Sky's words had her sitting straight up. "That's just it Sky! I'm the kind of person that everyone wants to be friends with! Like you! The 'sister' type like with Bridge! Nothing else!" Taking a shaky breath, she let it out and said more calmly, "That's what I'm most afraid of." She paused before finally spilling her fears out, "I'm scared that I'm always going to be somebody's friend, or sister, or confidant, but never somebody's everything." At that admission, the tears returned. "Why can't I find someone to love me?"

Sky felt like he'd been hit in the gut, when she'd looked up at him with those pain filled eyes. Her words cut him to the quick. "Oh Syd." He pulled her to him again, "Honey, that's not going to happen. I promise you it's not." He debated his next words carefully. "It's already not true," he whispered, as he rubbed circles on her back again, and waited for his words to sink in.

Syd heard his whispered words, but in her emotional state didn't realize what they meant. "How do you know? How do you know that I'll find someone to love me?"

Sky pushed her back to arms length so that he was looking into her eyes. He wanted her to see him clearly when he said the next words. "Because you already have."

"What?" Syd was utterly shocked. "What are you talking about?"

"There is someone very close to you, who loves you very much Syd. He's just been too scared to tell you."

"How do you know? Who is it?" Syd was thinking of everyone she knew, trying to figure out who it could be. She knew who she _wanted_ it to be, but she also knew that would never happen. The one who had her heart only saw her as his best friend.

"Well, I can give you three guesses." He grinned. "Or I could give you a hint first."

She made a sound that was half sob, half laugh. "A hint would be great, cuz I have no clue."

"I can do that." Never breaking eye contact with her, he slowly raised his hands to cup her cheeks. He saw her eyes widening at the contact, and smiled ever so slightly. Slowly, achingly slowly, he drew her head closer until he was able to tenderly touch his lips to hers. He lingered for only a moment before he felt her relax into the kiss. When she sighed, he took that as his cue, and deepened the kiss ever so slightly.

_OMG!_ She thought at the first feather-light touch of his lips. It only took her a moment to get over the shock, and she sighed, closing her eyes, and relaxed into the kiss. She couldn't believe it. This is what she had been dreaming of for nearly a year. Sky was actually kissing her!

All too soon he was pulling back, and gazing into her eyes once more. He continued to hold her face in his hands, caressing her cheek with his thumb. "How's that for a hint? Can you guess now?" he chuckled with a small smile.

Syd could only stare at him in wonder; she loved it when he smiled. "You?! How? When?"

"Yes, me. How long have we known each other Syd? Going on four years now?" he waited for her nod before continuing. "Those first two years, I admit were rough. We didn't always get along, and I'm willing to admit that it was more my fault than anyone's. I could be quite the jerk back then." He gave her a wry smile when he heard the chuckle she let out. "Thanks. Anyway, you always were special Syd. I knew it even then, when I was the least likely to have admitted it. You were the one who was least likely to annoy me, even if I didn't show it. Against my better judgment, I couldn't help but be amused by you. You were just too cute," he grinned.

Syd thought back to those first years that the three of them had been training, before becoming Rangers. She knew that she had gotten under his skin several times, but she couldn't honestly remember a time when he had gotten angry with her, and treated her with the same distain he did other SPD Cadets at the Academy. She was amazed at that. She'd never really thought about it before. She knew that after they'd become Rangers, she'd been the least likely to be on the receiving end of his scorn and ridicule, but she'd just chalked it up to the fact that he liked Z and Jack even less than her and Bridge.

"After we became Rangers, I was more willing to admit that you weren't the spoiled Princess everyone thought you were." He placed a kiss on her forehead a the brief flash of hurt that had appeared in her eyes at the comment. "You were an amazing Ranger, and I was proud to have you fighting at my side, even if I never told you in so many words. Still are," he offered with a smile, which she returned. "If there was one thing I always knew, it was that you had our backs, and I could count on you being there when you were needed."

She could see the sincerity in his words, and it warmed her heart.

Settling back against the couch again, Sky dropped his hands down and took Syd's within his larger ones. He fiddled with them briefly, before continuing, "While I had started to see a different side of you during the fight with Grumm, this last year has been even better. We had become good friends, the five of us; but after the war was over and we all could relax some I began to realize just how much you had come to mean to me. Syd, you are an amazing person. You're loving and kind to others, as witnessed by the good works you do without asking for credit, or acknowledgement, for your favorite charities. Case in point -Jack and Ally. You are great with the younger Cadets, always so patient and willing to help when they struggle with their training.

"And you've always been great to Bridge. You're the only one who's ever really treated him kindly the whole time he's been here. I'm ashamed of the way I've treated him in the past. But you… you were always so good to him. That's part of what drew me to you. Your kind heart. I guess I always knew deep down, that if I let you close enough, I'd be safe with you."

At his words, she saw the vulnerability hidden in his clear blue eyes. "Oh Sky." She brought her hand up and caressed his cheek. "You're always safe with me."

"I know," he whispered. "This past year, we've become closer than ever. You've become my very best friend Syd, and I started having even deeper feelings for you than that. Somewhere along the way, you've managed to steal my heart Syd. I don't know what you feel for me; I've been so afraid of saying something for so long, because I didn't want to lose your friendship if you didn't return my feelings, but… after what you've said tonight, I can't let you go on thinking that you'll never have love. It kills me to even think that you're in any pain."

Syd's heart skipped a beat at his admission, and her eyes began to burn with unshed tears. "Oh Schuyler." She looked at him for a moment before leaning in place a kiss to his lips. "Does that answer your question about what I feel for you? This past year, you also managed to steal my heart. I've wanted to tell you for a while, but didn't want to lose your friendship either, if you didn't feel the same. You mean the world to me, and I'd rather have had your friendship than not have you at all."

Syd was graced with the biggest smile she could ever remember seeing on his face. "So, where does this leave us? What are we going to do about it?"

"I don't know. I'm scared and excited all at the same time." She looked at him with eyes that shone with happiness. "I want to see where this goes though. I want that so much."

"Me too. Let's just enjoy this, and see where it leads."

She chuckled, "What?" She gave him a suspicious look. "Who are you and what have you done with my Sky?"

He chuckled too, and kissed her forehead. "Hey, I can be spontaneous, it just takes the right motivation. And I think this is definitely the right situation. And I'm _your_ Sky huh?" he gave her that beautiful half smile of his, that made her heart race.

"Yep." She grinned at him. "All mine."

"Well the same goes here. You're mine too."

"I wouldn't want to be anything else." She gently smiled.

She laid her head back on his shoulder, and the two just sat there enjoying the silence, and each other.

the end.


End file.
